Mycenaean Tombs at Mazarakata in Livatho district

Excavations at Mycenaean cemetries at Metaxata, Lakythra and Mazarakata dating back to the period 1350 to 1050 have brought to light personal effects such as weapons, jewellery amber, vases and semi precious stones that were buried at that time as it was believed they would accompany the bodies to the underworld.

At the southern part of Lakythra village Professor Spyros Marinatos found some Mycenaean chamber tombs that yeilded the richest haul of grave goods so far excavated in Kefalonia. Around 400 vases and many smaller artifacts were found of which a selection can be found in the Archaeological Museum in Argostoli.

Earlier but less productive graves in terms of buried artifacts have been found in Kokolata which date back to 1700 BC.

Set between the villages of Lakythra and Metaxata about half a km SE of Lakythra are to be seen the tombs of Mazarakata. The cemetery was excavated by the Swiss De Bosset during his period as Resident of Kefalonia (1810-1814). Work continued in stages from 1889 to 1909 by Panayotis Kavvadias and more recently by Spyros Marinatos in the early 1950s. De Bosset took some of the finds to Switzerland where they are displayed in the Neuchatel Museum. The rest of the haul of Mycenaean vases and small artefacts was shared out between the archaeological museums in Athens and Argostoli.

It is worth taking time to visit the tombs at Mazarakata which are man made holes cut into the rock. There are series of clefts each leading into man-made caves with tomb-holes cut into the floor. There is a ticket booth at the entrance to the tombs but it is usually unmanned and you should be able to enter the site by opening the metal gate. There's space to park your car nearby and it is an interesting place to stop and admire the sweeping views up to the castle of Saint George which can be seen as a backdrop to some of the Mycenaean people's final resting place.